Payload
• Jacqueline Feldscher
Starfish’s first operational Otter spacecraft is scheduled to launch next month for the Small Spacecraft Propulsion and Inspection Capability mission. During SSPICY, Otter will approach and inspect multiple defunct US satellites whose operators have agreed to host visits, demonstrating a commercial model for on-orbit inspection.
Commercial Space
Latest source-backed stories
Belgian company Space Applications Services has secured a flight opportunity for its LUVMI-M lunar rover aboard an upcoming Blue Origin Blue Moon lander mission. The agreement advances European participation in commercial lunar exploration and adds another payload to Blue Origin’s developing lunar transportation offering.
Google plans to launch an experimental satellite next Thursday with enough onboard computing power to answer simple artificial-intelligence queries from space. The mission will test whether satellite-based processing can support AI workloads beyond terrestrial data centers, linking commercial space infrastructure with emerging computational demands.
High activity
Starfish’s first operational Otter spacecraft is scheduled to launch next month for the Small Spacecraft Propulsion and Inspection Capability mission. During SSPICY, Otter will approach and inspect multiple defunct US satellites whose operators have agreed to host visits, demonstrating a commercial model for on-orbit inspection.
Hubble Network has raised $200 million in Series C financing, bringing its total funding to $300 million and valuing the company at $1.6 billion. The round follows a $70 million Series B completed in September 2025, underscoring continued investor backing for the company’s development.
Direct-to-device satellite connectivity is approaching a market inflection point, but operators’ reliance on mobile network operators may constrain growth. Reaching customers beyond carrier distribution could determine whether D2D develops into a scalable extension of terrestrial cellular networks or remains a limited connectivity enhancement.
High activity
The European Space Agency has awarded Rocket Factory Augsburg a €2.7 million contract extension to expand launch and testing infrastructure at SaxaVord, the UK spaceport. The funding supports RFA’s preparations to increase operational capability at the site.
The U.S. Space Force is preparing two commercial satellite-servicing missions for 2027 to test technologies and operational concepts that could give military spacecraft greater freedom to maneuver after launch. The missions will assess commercial capabilities for on-orbit support of national-security space assets.
A judge ruled in favor of SpaceX’s effort to exchange land with the federal government and acquire more than 700 acres in Texas’s Lower Rio Grande National Wildlife Refuge. The decision advances a land transaction involving the company and the Trump administration.
Create a free account to see more recent Commercial Space stories and keep bookmarks in one place.
